Table Tennis to Kick Off 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana

Ikenna ChurchillMarch 4, 20241 Mins read537

The 13th African Games, slated to commence in Accra, Ghana from March 8 to 23, will kick off with table tennis as announced by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) on Sunday.

With 29 countries vying for honours across seven events, all eyes will be on Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna, Africa’s top-ranked player, as he seeks to clinch the men’s singles title, an achievement still missing from his illustrious career.

The Accra International Conference Centre will host the week-long table tennis event, featuring 84 men and 62 women battling for the coveted prizes. The African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) revealed that the men’s teams, numbering 18, will be divided into six groups of three, while the 12 women’s teams will form four groups. The top teams from each group will progress to the knockout stage.

In recent editions, Egypt dominated the games, outperforming Nigeria in various events. However, defending men’s singles champion Olajide Omotayo faces pressure to replicate his past success, while women’s singles defending champion Dina Meshref aims to fend off stiff competition from her compatriot, Hana Goda.

ATTF President Khaled El-Salhy expressed satisfaction with the impressive turnout of teams, marking the largest participation in any African Games. He anticipates a show of talent and skills, particularly from emerging players like Matthew Kuti, included in the Nigerian squad for the games.